


just like heaven

by lingerlikeatattookiss



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Mutual Pining, Secret Relationship, but there's a happy ending, katara is an indie singer, mentions of abuse, this is very self-indulgent, zuko helps her write songs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:35:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27385789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lingerlikeatattookiss/pseuds/lingerlikeatattookiss
Summary: "Katara never told anyone who the songs were about. Even amongst the band, they refrained from asking unless she explicitly stated it. They knew better than to ask about the songs about her love life especially, because they only received vague answers from her saying she got inspiration from a book or a movie. Little did they know that the muse of their most popular song happened to be on bass whenever they performed it."a zutara band au
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 180





	just like heaven

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys!! I'm still writing my WIP, "suddenly, this summer it's clear," but I took a break from that to write a fic based on one of my favorite tropes. I love Band AUs and the ones for zutara are absolutely amazing, but there aren't nearly enough so I decided to write my own. Hopefully, it's not abundantly clear that I actually know very little about music and that most of my knowledge of the industry and songwriting comes from Taylor Swift and stan twitter. Honestly I started this fic, and the plot just sorta happened, but overall, I'm happy with it.
> 
> Also, make sure to check out GrapefruitTwoStep’s “Twist Me to the Left” and any of the other amazing Avatar Band Aus.

Lights glare down on the stage, illuminating its occupants for the crowd below. Sweat drips down Katara’s face, mixing with the glitter and foundation on it. Adrenaline surges through her as she moves across the stage, mic in tow. Hands reach out to touch her and the other members of the band while she hears the sound of her own voice accompanied by hundreds of others rings in her ears. She smiles as they finish the song and she looks around the stage to see her bandmates grinning through their heavy breaths, excitement in the air after another good performance.

Things were looking up for Avatar. Katara was the lead vocalist, while her brother, Sokka, played guitar. Their friend, Zuko was the bassist, and their younger friends Aang and Toph played the keyboard and drums, respectively. The group’s EP, _Rising Tides_ , made waves in indie rock circles, leading to attention from a record label. After negotiation over contracts and ownership, they struck a deal that they were comfortable with and Avatar was officially signed to White Lotus Records.

For now, they were sticking to local shows while still attending school or work. They were all out of high school, but it eased most of their parents’ hearts to know that they had something to fall back on if things went awry. Nights were long and sometimes they struggled to balance their time, but none of them would trade their opportunity for the world.

After their encore, the lights dim for the last time and they head backstage. The smell of cigarettes lingers in the air and Katara’s still buzzing from the performance. Toph uses her walking stick to make her way towards the greenroom with the rest of the band walking behind her, not hesitating to hit the shins of anyone that gets in her way. Aang opens the door and they quickly pile in the room.

“Guys, we totally killed that shit,” Toph yells enthusiastically.

“Yeah, we did!” Sokka responds, feeding off her energy.

The rest of the group cheers along with them, engulfing each other in the celebratory group hug that was mandated after every show. Katara looks at her bandmates, with their sweaty faces and big grins and can’t help but tear up a bit, her own smile stretching across her face. She wipes the tears before anyone notices, but the elation remains.

She still can’t believe how far they’ve come. She went from writing songs on her bedroom floor or coming up with lyrics on the bus to having people come up to her, saying much her words mean to them.

It had initially started as catharsis. She began writing to understand the deaths of her mom and her childhood friend, Yue, both of whom she lost to cancer. It became her lifeline, and she soon she wrote about everything. Every memory that she wanted to preserve, every feeling that left her overwhelmed. The good, the bad, and the ugly were all contained in the pages of her journals. As she wrote more, things hurt less, and the moments that had hurt her most were transformed when a crowd echoed the lyrics back to her.

The first song by Avatar that caught people’s attention told the story of a girl and the weight of her unreciprocated crush. The words, paired with the band’s killer production, resonated in the hearts of people like her and soon they were begging for more.

Katara never told anyone who the songs were about. Even amongst the band, they refrained from asking unless she explicitly stated it. They knew better than to ask about the songs about her love life especially, because they only received vague answers from her saying she got inspiration from a book or a movie. Little did they know that the muse of their most popular song happened to be on bass whenever they performed it.

* * *

  
Zuko Sozin had made quite the impact on Katara when they met in high school. At first, the sight of him made her blood boil after he spent the better part of her junior year helping his younger sister sabotage Katara’s class election campaign.

Though she had little evidence at the time, she knew that the two of them and their other friends were giving her false information and sending her fake emails with rescheduled dates. She still remembers the disappointed look on her teacher’s face when she failed to show up to a mandatory meeting because she thought it was the next day. After begging for another chance, along with showing proof that she’d been tricked, the teacher let her back into the race, much to Azula’s dismay.

Katara stopped receiving the misleading messages and the false rumors about her cheating on her ex-boyfriend, Haru, died down too. Coincidentally, at the same time, Zuko and Azula seemed to be arguing, refusing to interact with each other. Regardless of whether Zuko actually backed out on Azula’s schemes, Katara had no interest in forgiving him. Even the whispers that he had voted for her as president over his sister did nothing to sway her opinion on him. She wouldn’t applaud him for not being a shitty person and deciding to do the bare minimum.

When Katara won the election, she expected that to be the last time she would have to think about Zuko. She certainly didn’t expect to come home after a student government meeting to find him standing in their garage, bass in hand, while her friends sat watching him. They did need a bassist, but she didn’t expect Sokka to betray her in order to find one. After a silent argument with her brother, she conceded and sat down on the couch, arms crossed, and listened to Zuko play. She had to bite the insides of her cheeks to keep her face from revealing how impressed she was with his skill.

She expected the other members to stand by her. Zuko had hurt her, and while her brother may be disloyal, certainly they wouldn’t be too. Unfortunately, the others didn’t agree. Aang tried his best to support her, but they were both overruled by Toph, who was so eager to have a proper rhythm section that she wouldn’t take no for answer.

While Sokka told Zuko their practice schedule, Toph pulled a fuming Katara off to the side, “Listen Sugar Queen, I feel bad about your personal beef with Sozin, but we need a bassist and unless you can pull one out of your ass right now, he’s all we’ve got.”

Katara knew she was right, so she begrudgingly welcomed him to the band.

But it became a bit harder to hate him when he came to her house four days a week. Even worse, Sokka quickly befriended Zuko, so he was over their house often. She’d come home from studying at Aang’s house to bump into Zuko in the hall. Gran-Gran even insisted that he stay for dinner some nights.

She couldn’t avoid him during practice either. In fact, he interacted with her more than anyone else. Not only could he play bass and a few other instruments, but he wrote as well. When he sought her out one day to show her a new hook he’d been working on, she swallowed her pride and agreed to listen to him. She had to admit it was good, plus she could see how happy he was when he played her something new, and she wasn’t be the one to ruin the group dynamic by taking away that happiness. So, from then on, they took time during the week to sit on her garage floor with her notebook and his guitar, and they worked on songs together.

Through their writing, she got to know a lot more about him. While she could typically conceal who exactly her songs were about while still making them specific, Zuko wasn’t as subtle. He wrote jarring words about his family: his anger towards his dad, the bruises and scars that marked his body due to him. He and his sister now lived with their uncle, Iroh, but their relationship with their father and with each other wasn’t something that could change overnight.

One time, Katara and Zuko wrote about their mothers, both gone too soon from their lives. They sat alone in the garage and she wept into his arms. When she pulled back, she saw that he’d been crying too. Neither of them deserved their cruel fates, but especially not him. Her mother was gone, but she was fortunate to still have a father who supported her. She wanted Zuko to have the same and was glad to know that he had found it in Iroh. But that still didn’t erase the years of abuse he went through. She placed a kiss on his cheek, her lips brushing against the uneven skin where his scar lies.

This experience relieved her of the residual anger she felt towards Zuko. Although they still teased and argued with each other, there wasn’t any malice behind it. She found herself looking forward to their band practices even more than usual, eager to sit next to Zuko and hear his raspy voice sing her lyrics back to her.

And the more time they spent together, the less she could deny his attractiveness. His dark hair and amber eyes drew her in, and she caught herself staring more than once. Somehow, he got even more attractive when he and Sokka got drunk one night and decided to pierce his ears. During shows, the eyeliner and earrings he wore were enough to send her heart into overdrive.

She told herself that her feelings were just platonic but the envy that rose in her when she saw Zuko with his girlfriend, Mai, was anything but friendly. To make matters worse, Mai was much better suited for him. She was tall and stunning, with fair skin, silky hair, and an attitude that radiated coolness. She was the exact opposite of Katara, who knew she couldn’t compete. But that didn’t stop the butterflies that erupted in her stomach whenever Zuko touched her.

Katara had fallen for him and she was afraid that her crush was going to bring her crashing to the ground.

No matter what, she couldn’t tell him about it. Katara wouldn’t be the reason Avatar split up because she had a crush on one of the members. Even if he didn’t have a girlfriend, it’s not a good idea to date within the band. What if they were toxic or broke up? Avatar was like a second family to her and she wouldn’t put that pressure on them, so she resided to her place as Zuko’s friend, nothing more. However, that wouldn’t stop from writing about it and sharing her best kept secret whenever they performed to a crowd.

* * *

  
After the show, they head back to Katara and Sokka’s apartment for pizza, which has been their post-show tradition for years.

“Hey Katara,” Zuko sits down next to her on the couch.

“Yeah,” she tries to say, but the word is muffled by the slice of pizza in her mouth. She put down the slice and swallows quickly, heat creeping up her neck. The corner Zuko’s lips perk up as he witnesses her struggle.

“I’ve been working on a melody recently and I wanted to show it to you sometime.”

“That sounds great, we can meet up sometime tomorrow if you want or just send me an audio file,” she hopes that he’ll come over though.

“Tomorrow sounds good. I’ll come by after my shift.” Her smile grows at his response.

“Guys,” Sokka calls to them from the armchair a few feet away. They turn their heads towards him. “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation, and I wanted to show you what I’ve been working on. I came up with it yesterday.” He picks up the guitar resting next to his chair and starts playing.

After a few seconds, Katara’s brain clicks and she knows exactly where she’s heard the song. She looks at Zuko to see him struggling to hold back laughter too. Her eye catches his and he has to fake a cough to conceal his laugh. When Sokka stops playing, they turn back to him to see a large grin on his face.

“So, it’s great, right?”

Katara just blinks at him, unsure of how to respond.

“Yeah, it is great,” Zuko starts delicately. “I’m sure Tom Petty would agree.”

Katara barks out a laugh, unable to contain herself any longer. Zuko starts to chuckle beside her. She loves hearing him laugh. He’s always so reserved and quiet, and it’s rare to see this side of him.

“Fuck,” Sokka throws his head back on to the chair and covers his face with his hands. He breaths out and looks back up at them. “American Girl, right?” They nod in response. “I knew it was too good to be original.”

He thinks for a second, and realization hits his face, “Teo likes to listen to classic rock while he cleans. I probably heard the song from him the other day.”

“Where is Teo, by the way?” Zuko asks, just having noticed the absence of Katara and Sokka’s roommate.

“He’s visiting his dad for the weekend,” Katara responds.

Aang enters the room with Toph by his side, “Aw man, I was supposed to ask Teo to help me fix my school laptop. It’s not working right and he’s great with stuff like that. I’ll just come by next weekend I guess.”

“Yeah, I can let him know that you need help when he comes back.”

“Thanks, Katara, I really appreciate that,” Aang say graciously before he sits on the floor in front of her seat, his head leaning back onto the couch. Toph takes a seat on the other side of Zuko, forcing him closer to Katara, not that she minds. Katara notices his hands fidget as if he’s unsure of where to place them, but maybe she’s just looking too far into things.

The group focuses on the television for a while, talking over the show whenever they wanted to add input. Zuko whispers into Toph’s ear whenever she can’t understand what’s happening on the screen, him being one of the few people she accepts help from. After a while, Katara’s eyes find the clock on the wall and it hits her how much time has gone by. “Toph, Aang, you guys have rides, right?”

“Of course, Mom. Sparky over here is my personal chauffer,” Toph teases.

Katara turns to Zuko to confirm Toph’s words. Sometimes after shows he would just crash with her and Sokka, so she wanted to be sure. He smiles softly at her concern and says, “Yeah, I said I’d take them home. I told Uncle that I’d take an early shift tomorrow, so I have to head home now anyway.”

Aang, Toph, and Zuko say their goodbyes. Katara tries to ignore the way Aang’s hug with her seemed to last a bit longer than it normally did, rather she’s more focused on the way Zuko pointedly seems to avert his gaze from their arms wrapped around each other. She isn’t able to think about it too deeply once the hug ends and they head out into the hallway.

After they leave, Katara shuts the door and starts cleaning up the room. Sokka joins her and puts away the leftover food. When they’re done, he leans his body against the island and she stands beside him, her head resting on his shoulder.

“We were really good tonight.” He says aloud. “It’s not just a dream anymore. This is our real lives, we’re really performing shows to crowds, and they like us. Every time we play, I have to remind myself that it isn’t just a one-time thing. This is our future too.”

“I know exactly how you feel,” she admits, surprised to see her thoughts from earlier reflected in Sokka’s words.

“You know, Katara, I just know we’re gonna make it big. I’ve got a good feeling about it.”

“Yeah, just as long as you leave the songwriting to me and Zuko,” she giggles.

“Oh, shut it,” he pushes her lightly, his laughs joining her own.

* * *

The next day, Katara opens her apartment door to find Zuko waiting outside with a cup of tea, a guitar case, and a shy smile.

She graciously accepts it, and welcomes him in. “By the way, Sokka’s over at Suki’s place right now, so we can we as loud as we want.”

Zuko’s eyes widen and a strangled noise escapes his throat. Katara’s mouth drops open as she realizes the implications of what she just said. She quickly says something to clear the air, “Do you want some water or anything to drink?”

“Yeah that’d be great,” he responds quickly, still awkwardly holding his guitar. They speak for a bit about Suki, Sokka’s current girlfriend and her own band, the Kyoshi Warriors. She’s the guitarist for the all-girl punk band. Zuko’s old friend Ty Lee, who happens to be dating one of his exes, is in it too. They’re in a different scene than Avatar, but they’re amazing, so the bands have a mutual appreciation for each other’s work.

She gets ready to sit on the couch and pull out her notes app when she remembers that she handwrote her most recent thoughts. “Is it fine if I get something from my room? I wrote down some stuff the other day, but I left my notebook in there.”

“Of course,” he answers, following her down the hall to her room. Fortunately, she had cleaned it recently, so there aren’t clothes strewn everywhere. He stands by the doorway as she searches for her journal. She finds it on the floor next to her desk, where it must have fallen at some point, and turns back towards him to find him sitting on the edge of her bed.

“We can work in here if you want.” She hopes she doesn’t sound nervous as she proposes the idea. She’s not seventeen anymore, the idea of a boy simply sitting in her room shouldn’t make her heart rate quicken like this. But this wasn’t just some friend, or a random hookup, this was Zuko. And he’d probably be mortified to find out the thoughts she’s envisioned of him and her on the exact bed he’s currently sits on. “It might be good for the creative process, to switch up locations,” she elaborates.

“Sure, that sounds fine.” He pulls his guitar out of its case while Katara sits on the mattress. “So, I was thinking about something like this-” He starts strumming the guitar, an unfamiliar but intriguing melody filling the room.

Katara begins to hum along to it, vocalizing the words she had written down. Soon they’ve come up with a hook and things start taking off. Katara begins to write more verses while Zuko constructs the rest of the production. They would add the other instruments and effects later with the rest of the band in the studio. As they worked, she’d gravitated closer to him, now only sitting a few inches apart and his arm would accidentally brush against her if they moved a certain way.

She can hear him singing the words underneath his breath, trying to memorize them as he plays the chords. They made audio recordings, but he always insists on memorizing songs right after they are written. She can’t help but stare at him while the soft afternoon light seeps in through her windows and illuminates his form, hunched over the guitar, hair hanging in front of his eyes. She thinks about the irony of it all, his face deep in concentration as he struggles to remember lyrics about himself.

He pauses for a second and looks up at her. As if he can hear her thoughts, he says in a low voice “You know, these are some pretty romantic lyrics, Katara. I know you well enough to know that this song isn’t just about movies or TV. C’mon, as your songwriting partner, can you please tell me who this one’s about?”

There’s a smirk on his lips, but she can sense seriousness behind the question, something more lingering behind his curiosity. And Katara can’t handle it. Him on her bed, mere inches separating them, asking the one question she he had never wanted him to know the answer to. It almost felt like the spirits were conspiring against her.

And before she can think properly, the word leaves her lips, “You.”

Zuko’s eyes widen and Katara racks her brain for excuses. She could say that she had a crush on him as a teenager, so a few of the songs were about that. That’s technically true. Or she could completely lie and pass it off as a joke, or-

He interrupts her frantic thoughts by placing one of his hands on her own. A smile fully emerges on his lips as he says, “You won’t believe how long I’ve waited to hear that.” His head tilts towards her and suddenly, and her heart races when his lips press into hers.

Although her brain is still trying to comprehend the possibility of her wanting being reciprocated, her body is quick to respond. She deepens the kiss, reveling in the feeling of his soft lips and the taste of him on her tongue. It was better than she had ever imagined. They pull apart for a second, only so he can put his guitar on the floor as they catch their breath. He returns to her and while her hands get lost in his hair, his travel to her waist, pulling her flush against him.

When his lips start trailing down her neck, realization strikes down upon her. She is kissing Zuko: her friend, and most importantly, her bandmate. She was doing the one thing she’d told herself she couldn’t.

“Zuko,” she manages to say, trying to get his attention. His name comes out far breathier than she intended.

“Hmm,” he responds, still preoccupied. Something in her wants to simply close her mouth then and let fate take its course, but she knows she should be responsible. He notices the shift in her body language, and pulls away, his eyes looking into hers, anxiously searching for what’s wrong. His concern makes her heart ache even more.

“As much as I’m enjoying this,” his mouth twists into a smug grin and she has to resist the urge to push him off the bed, “you and I both know we shouldn’t be doing this. We shouldn’t date within the band. I mean, look at what happened to Fleetwood Mac.”

“ _Rumours_ is a masterpiece, though.” She’s not sure if she wants to kiss him or kill him. He sighs and continues, “But you’re right. I’ve watched other bands fall apart from dating each other and shit like that. And we can’t ignore the fact that Aang is totally in love with you, either.”

Her mouth falls open in defense, “That’s not true. He’s just overly affectionate, but he’s always been like that.”

“That’s because he’s always been in love with you.” There’s bitterness laced in his voice and Katara can’t help but wonder if he’s jealous. The thought of him being jealous over her excites her, which is the exact opposite of what is needed right now.

“Okay, so let’s say that true, and Aang does happen to have a crush on me, I can’t break his heart and ruin the dynamic of the band like that. We just got a record deal, and I’m not willing to be labeled as Yoko Ono if things fall apart.”

“No, I understand.” His hands fall from her waist, returning to his lap. “Maybe, another time, but right now just doesn’t work for us.”

“Yeah, exactly.” She looks at the wall in front of her, refusing to look at his face, for it would only make this harder.

She can still feel his gaze on her when she hears him say, “I’m gonna head out.” The words lack the warmth that usually accompanies them after they finish a writing session.

He puts away his guitar and heads out of her room, with her trailing behind him. The silence in the room is deafening and coldness radiates off Zuko as he walks in front of her. He turns back towards when he reaches the front door, and she it feels like a needle puncturing a hole in her heart as his eyes stare into hers.

“I’ll see you at the studio, Katara.”

“Bye, Zuko. Get home safely.” The words she’s spoken so many times now feel empty in her mouth.

He nods and opens the door, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She shuts the door behind him, tears falling from her face. This was for the best, she still has him as a friend and he’s still in the band, but the thought of what they could be plays in the forefront of her mind, and she can’t let it go.

* * *

  
Moving on from Zuko seems near impossible as she sits in the studio with the rest of the band, Zuko playing the audio recordings of their new song.

She can feel the heat of his gaze on her neck, reminding her of their time together only a few days prior. But whenever she looks towards him, his head immediately turns away. His attempts to be subtle fail miserably and they’re caught in a vicious cycle of cat and mouse while the rest of the band remains unaware.

“I’m gonna go to the bathroom,” she announces, attempting to appear nonchalant while getting out of her seat and leaving the room. She can’t take it anymore now that she knows that at least some of her feelings towards him are reciprocated. It no longer feels like hopeless dreaming, and yet, that makes it even harder to handle.

“Okay,” Aang absentmindedly responds, fixated with helping Sokka mess around with the soundboard.

She paces in the hallway, trying to figure out how she’s going to carry on with the practice without thinking about the stupid grin that appeared on his pretty face when she told him who the song was about or about how much she wants to see than grin again.

She slumps back onto the wall, her mind replaying everything that happened between them when she hears footsteps approaching her. She doesn’t say anything as Zuko stands beside her, instead letting the tension between them build up until it becomes unbearable.

He dives in headfirst. “Look, Katara, I know that you want what’s best for the band and I completely respect whatever decision you make but to be completely honest I don’t think this is helping us much either.”

He’s correct and she knows it. But she’s too afraid to admit it. Despite her efforts, she’s become the one thing she sought to avoid. She remains silent for a heartbeat more and Zuko starts to leave.

She grabs his hand, and he stops. Her hand is slightly sweaty, but it doesn’t matter because it fits perfectly into his. “You’re right.” His eyebrow raises, shocked that she’d ever admit to being wrong. “Whatever we’re doing right now needs to stop because pretty soon everyone will notice, and it’ll ruin the band whether or not we like it.”

“So, what should we do?”

“I don’t know,” she breathes out, she still isn’t ready for anything too big. A breakup would be even more disastrous than whatever game they’re currently playing, especially if everyone knew. “Maybe we can try this but take it slow. Try to keep things casual, so if we do find we’re not right for each other, it’s not too bad.”

“Okay, I think that could work,” he agrees. “We don’t need to tell anyone or anything like that. Plus, people love songs about secret relationships, this might work in our favor,” he adds, completely serious.

A smile creeps onto her face. She’s astonished by his ability to make her mood change in an instant. Katara leans her head up to meet his lips and he eagerly responds. After a few minutes, they finally remember where they are. Zuko fixes her now messy hair before they head back to the studio, trying to find an excuse as to why they’d spent the last ten minutes together in the hallway. He stills hold her hand as they walk back down the hallway to the door, but their moment of bliss is over too soon when his hand leaves hers and he opens the door.

* * *

  
Over the next few weeks, Katara and Zuko learn to navigate their newfound relationship.

It begins with long nights spent in his apartment, but their days spent apart, only communicating through friendly conversation and brushing hands under the table. Their songwriting sessions extend, but not long enough for it to be noticeable. Sometimes she catches him staring at her with a glint in his eye, and she can’t wait until they’re alone again.

Then, their relationship ventures into the daytime too. His apartment becomes her second home as she spends mornings there, his head resting on her lap while she sits on his couch, doing readings for school. He drives her to class or picks her up for lunch and they walk around the park, his body heat protecting her from the brittle autumn air.

They spend evenings in his kitchen, learning to cook each other’s favorite childhood meals. She watches TV shows with him, both agreeing to not watch an episode without the presence of the other person. She reads the books on his shelf, while he buys records from her favorite musicians to play when she come over.

Fights between them occur, but never for long. Arguments are settled quickly, washing away like waves on the sand, but the issue is almost always properly addressed. This helps ease her prior worries that she and Zuko would be disastrous for each other and Avatar. While the others still don’t know about the two of them, their chemistry on stage has clearly improved and she has no shortage of things to write about.

She still writes about him, but it’s no longer as heart wrenching. She paints pictures of the rush of his touch, the excitement that comes with each secret kiss. He flushes at some of her words used to describe him, still somewhat insecure about himself. But she quickly pushes away any self-deprecation, refusing to let him see himself as anything less than who he is. Katara enjoys seeing his reaction and insight on her words now that he knows who they’re about.

But there are some lyrics that she keeps from him. The ones about the peace she feels whenever she’s at his apartment, simply sitting with him in a comfortable silence. The ones that describe overwhelming feeling that builds in her chest whenever she wakes up next to him, momentarily forgetting that what they have is temporary. Although it’s clear that he likes her, she’s uncertain to what extent and she doesn’t want to push the boundaries any further. There’s no need to overcomplicate a good thing.

* * *

  
About three months into their affair, she and Zuko find themselves at concert with Sokka and Suki. They stand in the middle of a club, bodies pressing against each other in every direction while the headlining act sings a cover of The Cure.

“You, soft and only

You, lost and lonely

You, strange as angels,

Dancing in the deepest oceans, twisting in the water

You're just like a dream”

Katara sings along to the song, her body moving along with the music. She looks up to her left to see Zuko looking down at her, a soft smile on his face. She almost kisses him but is brought back to reality when Suki presses into her side.

“Honestly, Jet’s kind of hot. Have you considered going out with him sometime?” Suki yells into her ear, pointing to the lead singer on the stage. Jet is the frontman for the Freedom Fighters, the angsty, anti-government, rock band that had grown in popularity in the last year. Katara loves their music and the passion in it, and Jet is certainly good looking, but she never even thought to consider dating him. She was too preoccupied with someone else. “I just feel like all his pent-up rage could be put to good use.”

Katara notices the way Zuko’s jaw slightly clenches at Suki’s suggestion. She smirks, an idea forming in her head.

“You know what, you’re right,” she says, feigning interest in Jet. “I’ve spoken to him a few times before, maybe I’ll get his number after the show.”

“That’s what I like to hear. I’m sure it’ll be great,” Suki continues to dance with her for the rest of the song before spotting Sokka and going to dance with him.

When she’s out of their line of vision, Katara moves closer to Zuko.

“You’re the worst, you know that right?” Zuko says down into her ear, a smile evident in his mildly annoyed voice. His fingers burn into her waist, which is exposed by her cropped shirt, before his hands drop lower to hold her tighter. His hips press against her own as they move together.

“Who says I was messing around?” She teases. She and Zuko had agreed to remain exclusive to each other, not that she had eyes for anyone else.

“Fine go ahead and date Jet. It’s not as a great as it seems. I should know, I actually went out with him a few times. Turns out he’s a total pretentious douchebag.”

“Ha, no way.”

“No, I’m serious, he never shut up about ‘Fight Club’ and how he’s the only person to be able to correctly analyze it, as if a seventh grader couldn’t figure that movie out. He refuses to smoke anything but hand rolled cigarettes. I feel like he’s one of those guys who stands outside record stores and quizzes people on what songs they know by the band before they can buy a record.”

She bursts out laughing, Zuko joining her as another song ends. While Jet is talking to the crowd, she imagines him grilling a teenage girl about whether she really likes Nirvana or only knows “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

“He was a pretty good kisser, though. I’ll give him that,” Zuko admits.

“Oh, so maybe I should get his number.”

“You could,” his says and his lips brush against the outer shell of her ear, “but I think you like me far too much to do that.”

The next song is much slower, and calmness settles over the crowd with each word Jet sings. She turns to face towards Zuko, wrapping her arms around his neck. He looks beautiful with the light from the stage glowing on his face. She thinks over his words. She _does_ like him far too much.

Her feelings for Zuko weren’t just a residual schoolgirl crush, nor were they what they should be for a casual fling. What she feels for him is so much more. She knows that she would do anything he asks of her. Katara faces her head away from his, her mind now burdened by the knowledge that her heart was already aware of: she is hopelessly in love with Zuko.

* * *

  
One morning, Katara stands in Zuko’s kitchen, making herself a cup of tea with the leaves he brought home from work. She wearing one of his flannels over her outfit as she sips from the mug, warming herself up in his cold apartment. Zuko was always warm, so he rarely turned up the heat. She likes to joke that he purposefully makes his apartment cold so she’ll wear his clothes or remain in his arms for a bit longer.

She sits on the couch, opening a new book that he’d recommended to her, waiting for him to come out of the shower. Lost in the pages of the novel, she doesn’t notice his presence until he sits down next to her. He put his arm around her and rests his chin on her shoulder, his eyes skimming the page of the book. She doesn’t even mind the coldness of his damp hair on her skin, the fresh smell of his shampoo distracting her from it.

She tries to read more, but finds herself looking at the same words, unable to comprehend anything. As if he knows about her struggle, he lifts his head and kisses her softly, reaching up to cup her face. Her eyes flutter closed as his thumb brushes across her check, leaving a trail of tingling skin in its wake. He pulls away and looks at her like she holds the entire world in her hands. She feels heat flood to her face.

He leans closer to her and whispers, “You taste like jasmine tea,” like it’s a conspiracy that only they’re in on.

Small laughs spill from her lips, “I would assume so, I just had a cup,” she whispers back.

“I feel like you just come over here to steal my tea. Was this all just a ploy to get free drinks? I’ll have to make sure Uncle doesn’t give you any for your place, then you won’t have a reason to be over here all the time.”

Her blush deepens. It’s nice to be reassured that he likes her coming over so often, so that it doesn’t feel like she’s overstepping her boundaries.

“Oh, now that you’ve figured my plan out, would you ask Iroh if he could give me some tea? Then, I can leave,” she plays along.

“No way, I’d miss you too much.” He captures her lips with his own, pushing her backward on the couch til he’s hovering over her. Her fingers comb through his wet hair, and her mouth parts with a groan as he kisses her harder. She feels the touch of his warm hands on her skin as they slide underneath her tank top. His kisses are like fire on her tongue, the heat spreading throughout her body, leaving her desperately wanting more.

Suddenly, they’re interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. They both look up, though Katara’s vision is upside down, to see Toph standing in the entrance, with a look on her face like she’d just won the lottery.

“Hey Sparky,” she calls out, unaware that he’s on the couch. “Gramps gave me a key, so I figured I’d surprise you.”

Katara goes still, silently praying that the other girl doesn’t hear her. If Zuko managed to distract Toph and get from on top of her, she’d be able to get out of this situation without being caught. Zuko seems to have the same idea, trying to get off her without making it clear to Toph that there is a third person in there.

“Hey Toph, didn’t expect to see you here,” he splutters. Toph sits down in an armchair across from them. Katara stops breathing as she tries to go unnoticed.

Still looking towards Zuko, Toph says, “Sorry to interrupt your time with Sugar Queen.” She turns slightly to look in Katara’s direction, “Oh and hi to you too, Katara.”

Katara breathes in sharply, her eyes going wide, and Zuko chokes, struggling to conceal it in a cough. Toph lets out a loud cackle and points at them. “You two really think I’m dumb, don’t you?”

“How’d you know?”

“Well, besides the fact that I could hear you when I opened the door or that I could smell Katara’s perfume when I sat down, the Kuruk siblings’ car is out front, according to Iroh, and I’m pretty sure that Sokka isn’t here right now. So, I told Iroh to stay in the car outside for a few minutes while I came in to surprise you. And let me say, your reactions were worth it.”

“Toph, you’re not going to tell anyone about this right?” Katara asks, worried how the rest of the band might react.

Toph laughs even harder, “You guys are so stupid sometimes. We all know about you two. Well, maybe not Sokka, but the rest of us figured it out a while ago. Even Aang’s starting to get over his crush on you, Sugar Queen. He’s been talking this girl, On Ji, I think-”

Zuko cuts her off before she keeps gets off topic, “That’s great and all, Toph, but how’d you guys even find out?”

“The two of you disappear together like all the time. And Katara’s never home, meanwhile her car is found outside of your apartment building. You’re both in outrageously good moods all the time now that you’re not pining after each other. I may not be able to see, but I can certainly connect the dots.

Oh, and Suki may have seen you guys kiss at that concert you all went to.”

“And everyone’s fine with it?”

“Course, like I said, Aang’s getting over his crush. And it’s not like you guys stopped making music, if anything, I feel like you guys have written a ton since you’ve gotten together. We’ve had so much material to work with in the last few months.”

Katara and Zuko breathe heavy sighs of relief. The door opens again, and they turn to see Iroh walk in.

“Oh, I see you’ve already spoken to Miss Beifong. I hope her surprise was pleasant,” he says innocently.

Zuko sees right past his exterior, “Uncle, you knew all along.”

“Well, nephew, I might have known that Miss Kuruk was here this morning, but I simply assumed you were enjoying breakfast with a friend, so I gave Miss Beifong my key so she could join you. I had to stop by to give you your jacket, which I found this morning when I had tea with her at the Jasmine Dragon.”

Zuko accepts the jacket, but is still wary of his uncle’s excuse. They’re both certain that he knew as well as the rest of their friends. The four of them speak for some time more, before Uncle Iroh takes Toph home.

After they leave, Katara puts her head on Zuko’s shoulder and starts giggling uncontrollably. “We probably looked so dumb to them, constantly sneaking out and making excuses, while all of them knew.”

Her laughter dies down and she sees Zuko’s fingers drum on his leg and that he won’t meet her eye. A sick feeling develops in her stomach as she prepares for the worst.

“Look Katara, I know you said you just wanted things to be casual, but now that everyone knows and they’re fine with it, I think we should make things more official.” She exhales slightly, too afraid to be fully relieved, for fear that she misheard him. He continues, “I don’t want to make you do anything you’re not comfortable with and we can do this as long as you want to, but I just want you to know that I’ve thought you were the most gorgeous person ever when we met in high school and I’ve only fallen harder for you since.”

She can’t believe what she’s hearing, “Zuko- “

“The moment I saw you sing on stage, I knew I was gone. You were so pretty and confident and I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. For a short time in high school, I’d even convinced myself you were writing about me, but it seemed too farfetched. And I had Mai, and I didn’t want to hurt her. But Katara, it always came back to you. With Jet and Jin too, I couldn’t shake my feelings for you. And after these last few months, I think I’m in love with you. But I understand if you’re not ready for that, I thought it might be best to tell you now.”

She reaches up and cuts off his anxious rambling with a searing kiss, pressing her body into his. His confession threw away her remaining fears about the two of them, and happiness radiated from her when he confirmed that he felt the same as her. They pull away, quietly gasping for air.

“Don’t worry, Zuko, I’m in love with you too,” she says, beaming as stares down at the man she’s infatuated with. “And considering I’ve been writing about you in my diary everyday since I was sixteen, it’s pretty nice to know that I wasn’t the only one who had a crush.”

His brushes his nose against hers, his eyes shining. “Sometimes I wish I’d just asked you out then, but I think this was worth the wait.”

Her smile widens. Regardless of what could have happened in the past, she’s happy to know that he’s her future. She responds, “Yeah, I think so too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading :)  
> I’d also like to apologize if there are any mistakes, this was not beta-read.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated!!


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